If you’re looking for a practical tow car, look no further. The Mitsubishi Outlander has clearly been made with towing in mind.
Thanks to the standard-fit rear-view camera it’s straightforward to reverse up to a caravan on your own, and the well-installed towing electrics and towball make hitching up easy. The spare wheel can be removed with no need to empty the boot first and there’s enough room for every item of holiday luggage in our typical load (with seats six and seven folded away).
It’s a practical car for everyday family driving as well as for towing, thanks to the roomy cabin and seats which fold into the floor to create more luggage space.
For the most part, our drivers were also impressed with the Mitsubishi. Between 60-70mph the car tended to wander a bit in windy conditions, but dropping back to legal speeds soon solved that. In the lane-change test the Outlander rolled heavily, but it never felt as though the caravan was about to take charge. The hill start was also straightforward.
The Outlander isn’t quite so convincing without a caravan. The diesel engine is gruff and the remote steering means there’s little fun to be had behind the wheel.
Our top-spec test car may be well equipped but it’s expensive, and you can buy much heavier tow cars for similar money.